Cabinet having closure-operated tray



Sept. 26, 1950 G. VAN DE RlET CABINET HAVING CLOSURE-OPERATED TRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 11, 1948 Sept. 26, 1950 G. VAN DE RIET CABINET HAVING CLOSURE-OPERATED TRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 11, 1948 fiatented Sept. 26, 1 956 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CABINET HAVING CLOSURE-OPERATED TRAY George Van De Riet, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 11, 1948, Serial No. 14,340

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a cabinet structure.

The invention is particularly useful in combination with a cabinet employed as a sewing cabinet or as a cabinet in which a number of articles are projected forwardly in receptacles for convenient use.

An object of the invention is to provide a cabinet in which a corner compartment or compartments are utilized for the extension of the cabinet laterally, while also projecting forwardly receptacle-carrying means. Yet another object is to provide a cabinet structure in which a corner compartment is equipped with laterally-swinging parts and with a lever structure which automatically advances and retracts a tray or other desired part. A still further object is to provide a cabinet having a central compartment or wall ,and lateral corner compartments, whereby corner ,and front walls may be utilized for forming a (completely closed cabinet, while at the same time -;the side walls are 'swingable laterally to provide .cabinet extensions on both sides of the cabinet with supported-shelves rendered readily accessible. Other specific objects and advantages will :appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a single embodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a cabinet struc- 'ture embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a broken front view in elevation, the cabinet structure at one end being shown in section; Fig. 3, an enlarged plan sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4, a sectional detail view, the section being taken as indicated at line 4 of Fig. 3.

In the illustration given, I designates a cabinet structure which may be of any suitable design. In the specific illustration given, there is provided a cabinet ll supported upon legs I2. The cabinet I l is provided with two centrally-located walls l3, in which a drawer I4 is mounted, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3.

The corner compartments of the cabinet are each equipped with a hinged side wall and a front wall fixed to the side wall, the side wall being swung laterally to extend the cabinet or swung inwardly to close the corner compartment. Since each of the corner compartments is identical in structure, it will be sufficient to describe but one of them herein.

The side wall 15 is secured by the hinge IE to the short wall ll of the cabinet. If desired, the side wall may be hinged to the back wall of the cabinet. Fixed to the forward end of the side wall l5 by a tongue and groove connection is a 2 front wall [8, equipped with a handle 19. Opposite the front'wall I8 is a rear wall 28, which is likewise fixed to the side wall l5. The cabinet is provided with a bottom wall or floor 2|, which extends across the cabinet and is slightly spaced below the walls l5, l8 and 20 to permit movement of these walls above the floor 2 I.

Extending between the walls 18 and 20 is an upper shelf 22, preferably formed in the shape illustrated best in Figs. 1 and 3. The shelf 22 may be provided with pins or spindles 23 adapted to receive spools or other desired articles. It will be understood that the shelf 22 may be employed for the supporting of any type of article, and that the parts with which it is equipped may vary as desired.

Also extending between the walls l5, l8 and 21] is a fixed floor or guide 24, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 4. The floor 24 is provided with an elongated slot 25. Mounted upon the guide or floor 24 is a slideable tray 26. The tray 26 may be equipped with receptacles or depressions 21 for holding articles, or may be formed of any desired design.

To advance or retract the tray 26, I provide a lever 28, which is connected by a pivot pin or screw 29 to the rear of the floor of the corner compartment, as shown best in Fig. 3. The lever 28 is provided, at its forward end, with an elongated slot 30 adapted to receive a pin 3| fixed to the tray 26 and extending through the slot 25 of the floor 24. The lever 28 is also provided with an intermediate longitudinal slot 32 adapted to receive a pin 33 fixed to the floor 24, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4.

Operation In the operation of the structure, assuming that the corner compartment is closed, one of the handles I9 is grasped and the drawer is swung laterally to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. In this operation, the lever 28 swings to the oblique position illustrated in Fig. 3 and slidably engages the pin 33 fixed to the stationary floor 24. As a result, the tray 26 is moved forwardly with the pin 3| traveling through the slot 25 of the floor 24. Thus, the tray 26 supplies additional space forward of the compartment floor 24, so that the articles carried thereby are rendered readily accessible and the side drawer is thus greatly increased in depth.

When it is desired to again close the cabinet, the handle l9 may be again grasped and the front wall swung to closed position, as illustrated on the right-hand side of Fig. 3. In this operation, the lever swings to the straight position illustrated, and again the forward end of the lever pivots about the pin 33 carried by the fixed fioor 24. As a result, th tray 26 is swung inwardly into retracted position, while the pin 3! moves to the rear of the slot provided in the fioor 24.

In the cabinet structure illustrated, it will be noted that each of the end compartments may be opened to elongate the cabinet from either side, while the central compartment provides a closure wall for the walls I5, l8 and 20. Thus, there is a completely closed drawer or compartment, with four walls for each of the corner compartments, while, however, when the side wall is swung laterally, the compartment is opened at its front and the tray is automatically projected.

The structure shown may obviously be employed in a number of different types of cabinets having a single corner compartment or a plurality of corner compartments.

While, in the foregoing description, I have set forth a specific form of cabinet and the structure thereof in considerable detail, it will be understood that such details of structure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention,

I claim:

1. In a cabinet frame equipped with a corner compartment and having a side wall and front wall fixed together, a guide carried by said front and side walls, a tray slideably mounted on said guide, andcooperating means on said tray and frame for moving said tray rearwardly as said side wall is swung forwardly.

2. In a cabinet frame equipped with a corner compartment and having a side wall and front wall fixed together, a hinge connecting the rear edge of said side wall to said frame, a rear wall fixed to said side wall, a guide extending between said front and rear walls, a tray slideably mounted on said guide, and cooperating means on said tray, guide and frame for moving said tray rearwardly as said side wall is swung forwardly.

3. In a cabinet frame equipped with a corner compartment and having a side wall and front wall fixed together, a hinge connecting the rear edge of said side wall to said frame, a rear wall fixed to said side wall, a guide extending between said front and rear walls, a tray slideably mounted on said guide, and cooperating means on said tray, guide and frame for moving said tray rearwardly as said side wall is swung forwardly, said means comprising a lever secured to said frame and equipped with a pair of spaced longitudinal connected at its rear to said cabinet and swingable laterally of said cabinet, a tray slideably mounted on said floor, and a lever connected at one end to said cabinet, and at its other end to said tray for moving said tray forwardly as said side wall is swung outwardly.

5. In a cabinet equipped with a corner compartment, a floor-equipped side wall hingedly connected at its rear to said cabinet and swingable laterally of said cabinet, a tray slideably mounted on said floor, said floor being provided with a slot, a lever pivotally connected at its rear end to said cabinet and provided with a longitudinal slot near the forward end thereof and another slot near the rear end thereof, a pin carried by said tray and engaging said floor slot and said slot near the forward end of said lever, and a second pin fixed to said floor and engaging said slot near the rear end of said lever.

6. In a cabinet equipped with a corner compartment, a floor-equipped side wall hin'gedly connected at its rear to said cabinet and swingable laterally of said cabinet, a tray slideably mounted on said fioor, said fioor being provided with a slot and said tray being provided with a pin extending through said slot, a lever pivotally connected at its rear to said cabinet and provided at its outer end with a longitudinal slot receiving said tray pin, said lever being provided also with an intermediate slot, and a pin carried by said floor and engaging said intermediate slot.

7. In a cabinet equipped with corner compartments, each of said compartments having a side wall and a front wall fixed together, a hinge connecting the rear edge of each of said side walls to said cabinet, a floor carried by said side walls, a tray slideably mounted on each of said floors, a pin carried by each floor, a second pin'carried by each tray, each of said floors being slotted to receive said tray pin and a pair of levers, each having two spaced longitudinal slots, one slot receiving the tray pin and the other slot receiving the floor pin, and a pivot pin securing said lever at its rear to a rear portion of said cabinet.

GEORGE VAN DE RIET.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,242,916 Brooks Oct. 16, 1917 1,547,6 7 Thomas July 28, 1925 1,994,857 Krause Mar. 19, 1935 2,410,760 Trachtenberg Nov. 5, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 442,7 82 Great Britain Feb. 1'7, 1936 

